‘Indeed the one who is two-faced is the worst of the people because he is similar to the hypocrite[2],using cajolery and lying to create fasād (corruption) between the people.’

Imam al-Nawawī RH said,

“He is the one who goes to each group of people with that which will please them, so he gives them the impression that he is with them and against the other group, and his action is that of hypocrisy, lying, deceit and using trickery to uncover the secrets of each group; and it is from the prohibited sycophancy.”[3]

Also, in his book al-Zawājir, Al-Haythamī (rahimahullaah) considers the two-faced person from the people of major sin. He states,

“The Two-hundred and Fifty-third Major Sin: the speech of the fork-tongued, i.e. the two-faced, who has no regard with Allāh.”[4]

In another wording of the narration, ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (radhi Allaahu anhu) related that the Messenger of Allāh (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said,

“Whoever had two-faces in the worldly life will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Resurrection.” [5]

Azīm Ābadī (rahimahullaah) says: “Al-‘Alqamī stated:

‘This means that since he came to each group with different faces to cause corruption, he will be given two tongues of fire like the two tongues he had with each group in the worldly life.'”[6]

Therefore, it is incumbent upon the believers to be wary of those who carry other people’s speech to them, “So and so said such and such about you,” only to turn around and take the second party’s speech back to the first. For how many close companions have been turned into enemies and much rancour has replaced love among us as a result of such machinations? And if these provocateurs truly understood what awaited them from punishment and humiliation, perhaps it would cause them to turn to Allāh in penitence and repair the bonds their whispers have destroyed.

The Hypocrites of Today

These are some timely narrations collected by Muhammad Musa Nasr in his book ‘al-Munafiqun’ (p. 95-98). They are all authentic.

1 – Jubayr bin Nufayr RA said:

“I went to visit Abu ad-Darda’ RA at his home in Homs, and I found him praying at his mosque. When he sat for the tashahhud, he began seeking refuge with Allah from hypocrisy. When he finished, I went to him and asked: “May Allah Forgive you, Aba ad-Darda’! What do you have to do with hypocrisy?”

He replied: “O Allah, Your Forgiveness! (he said this three times) Nobody who feels safe from tribulation will be safe from it! By Allah, a man can be tested for a single hour and turn back on his religion.””

2 – ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr RA said:

“There will come a time when people will gather in their mosques, and there won’t be a single believer in them.”

3 – al-Hasan RH said:

“The Hour will not come until each people will be overwhelmed by their hypocrites.”

4 – Hudhayfah RA said:

“The hypocrites among you today are worse than the hypocrites who lived at the time of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم)!”

He was asked: “O Aba ‘Abdillah, how is this so?”

He replied: “They used to hide their hypocrisy. As for the ones today, they display it openly.”

We ask Allāh (azzawajal), the Mighty and Majestic, to give us protection from the two-faced and to unite our hearts upon Islām and Sunnah, Ameen.

References:

– (1) Bukhari/Muslim

– (2) Just as the hypocrite gives the outward appearance of Islam while harbouring disbelief and hatred in his heart, the two-faced person gives the outward appearance of love, fealty and reparation whilst harbouring the desire to cause hatred and division in his heart.